Photovoltaic Livestock Canopies
How does a livestock canopy work?
A photovoltaic livestock canopy is an installation designed to provide solar or weather protection in a livestock and/or grazing area while generating solar energy.
Our livestock canopies are custom-made after studying your agricultural needs: the structures are designed and adapted to allow the passage of agricultural machinery and facilitate livestock farming.
Two types of photovoltaic livestock canopies
We distinguish between two types of canopies: fixed canopies and tracker-mounted canopies.
Fixed canopies:
Fixed photovoltaic tables are designed with heights adapted to the type of livestock, whether sheep or cattle, as well as to agricultural equipment.
They are perfectly suited for grazing and fodder production.
Tracker-mounted canopies:
Operated by an algorithm, these canopies are ideal for agricultural areas and livestock, crop rotation.
Thanks to their modularity, the trackers can be set in a flag position to allow the passage of farming machinery and tilted up to 15° to provide livestock with protection from extreme heat and adverse weather conditions.
They are ideally suited for livestock farming, grazing, fodder, cereals, and field crops.
Our agricultural expertise at the service of your farm
Our agricultural division has developed its expertise in the field, enabling it to respond to each agricultural need by offering the most suitable solution. We continuously explore ways to improve the coexistence between livestock and agrivoltaic plants and work to implement concrete actions to ensure the health and comfort of the animals.
We also conduct instrumentation tests to monitor the movement of animals on our plants and collaborate with an ethology research firm to observe the behavior of sheep and cows on one of our solar parks. This study provides a detailed view of animal behavior beyond just their movements.
The studies and tests we implement are rich in learning for the future of our agrivoltaic projects.
What are the advantages of a livestock canopy?
By protecting your livestock and supporting your agricultural activity, livestock canopies offer numerous benefits:
PROTECT
your livestock from weather conditions: In cases of extreme heat, the shade provided by the panels protects animals from thermal stress. In cases of rain or hail, the panels offer them shelter, thereby improving their well-being.
EXTEND
grazing time: The microclimate created under the solar panels allows for an extended grazing period by several weeks, improving the animals’ diet.
CREATE
a favorable microclimate under the panels: The partial shading provided by the modules reduces evapotranspiration of the plot and thus preserves forage resources.
IMPROVE
your productivity: Healthy animals tend to be more productive.
DEVELOP & MODERNIZE
your farm while limiting your investments to agricultural equipment alone. We also provide agricultural equipment such as water troughs, racks, and containment areas.
PRODUCE
decarbonized and local energy, thereby contributing to the energy transition of your territory.
Expert opinion
When we develop agrivoltaic projects for livestock farms (sheep or cattle), we take into account all the constraints and needs of the farmer for their activity. We first ensure the safety of grazing animals by adapting the height of the photovoltaic tables of the livestock canopies so that the animals do not get injured. We must also ensure that mowing activity is facilitated on the plot by increasing the inter-row spacing between rows of photovoltaic panels and leaving sufficient space at the end of the line to allow machinery to turn without having to fold the tools. Our livestock canopies are technical tools adapted to the type of production, which once installed, offer complementary services to agricultural activity.
Agnès Cholet
Head of the Agricultural Division at Urbasolar
Our ongoing projects
Surface:
5 Ha
Forage farming and sheep farming
This agrivoltaic project is being implemented on a cattle farm with 150 dairy cows located in Haute-Saône. A forage crop will be established under the photovoltaic canopies, and regular monitoring of growth will be conducted. Power of the agrivoltaic plant: 1 MWC.
Testimonial from Gilles and Virginie, partners at GAEC des Ecottays in organic dairy production. (3min11)
Our other solutions
As a true expert in photovoltaic technology, we are able to provide the solution that matches your site and your expectations.
Across the territory, our teams support you in carrying out your solar projects.
FAQ
Qui peut s’engager dans un projet agrivoltaïque ?
Tous les propriétaires et exploitants agricoles. Les agriculteurs et exploitants de terres cultivées, les éleveurs disposant de surfaces de pâturage, enfin les producteurs viticoles, maraîchers et arboriculteurs dont les parcelles et/ou les cultures sont adaptées à la réalisation d’un projet solaire.
Quels terrains sont éligibles à l'agrivoltaïsme ?
Un projet agrivoltaïque doit s’adapter à l’activité agricole. Plusieurs prérequis sont donc indispensables parmi lesquels nous pouvons citer le maintien obligatoire d’une activité agricole, des cultures ou élevages compatibles avec l’installation, une réversibilité de de cette dernière et enfin une co-construction du projet avec l’agriculteur.
Quels types d’agriculture peuvent cohabiter avec le photovoltaïque ?
La technologie photovoltaïque peut cohabiter avec plusieurs formes d’agriculture, à condition que le projet soit pensé d’abord pour l’activité agricole. On peut ainsi retrouver les activités d’élevage et pâturage ovin et bovin, les grandes cultures (fourrage ou céréales), le maraichage (salades, courgette, choux, fraises, framboises, PAPAM, …) et enfin, l’arboriculture et la viticulture.
Existe-il des aides pour les projets agrivoltaïques ?
Il n’existe pas d’aides directes, en revanche dans le cas d’un projet agrivoltaïque, les aides de la Politique Agricole Commune (PAC) sont maintenues si l’activité agricole est réelle.
Est-ce que le projet agrivoltaïque s'adapte à mes pratiques agricoles ?
La clé du succès d’un projet agrivoltaïque réside généralement dans une collaboration étroite entre les agriculteurs et les développeurs énergétiques, afin de concilier la production agricole et la génération d’énergie renouvelable. Le projet solaire doit répondre aux contraintes, besoins et pratiques de l’agriculteur et non l’inverse.